Former Senegalese international midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has died at the age of 42 after a long illness, the Senegalese Football Federation announced on Sunday (November 29th).
Papa Bouba Diop scored the winning goal against the reigning world champion France team in the 2002 World Cup opener in Seoul. The Senegalese selection, coached by Frenchman Bruno Metsu, who died in 2013, reached the quarter-finals where it was beaten by Turkey (1-0).
“A hero of the World Cup one day, a hero of the World Cup always”, FIFA said in its tribute on Twitter.
“The epic of the Lions in 2002”
During his career, Papa Bouba Diop, born in Dakar, played in Switzerland (Vevey, Neuchâtel Xamax, Grasshopper Zürich), in Lens between 2001 and 2004, in England (Fulham, Portsmouth, West Ham, Birmingham) and in Greece in the AEK of Athens. He was first called up to play for Senegal at the age of 21 and wore his country’s jersey more than sixty times from 2001 to 2008.
In a tweet, Senegalese President Macky Sall paid tribute to the player: “The death of Papa Bouba Diop is a great loss for Senegal. I pay tribute to a good footballer, respected by all for his courtesy and his talent, proudly reminding us of the Lions saga of 2002. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and to the football world ”.
And Senegalese striker Sadio Mané from Liverpool to clarify in a tweet: “It was with a broken heart that we learned of your departure. Know that you will remain in our hearts forever, even if you left without saying goodbye to us. “
